Seal



Sept. 16, 1952 w. M. BROOKS 2,610,878

SEAL

Filed April 14, 1950 3 sheets sheet l I W71 N.Bro 07:3

Mwa

Sept. 16, 1952 w. M. BROOKS SEAL 5' Sheets-Shet 2 Filed April 14, 1950 g/Yt rsv fiforrier P 1952 w. M. BROOKS 2,610,878

SEAL

Filed April 14, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 16, 1952 SEAL I a e "Winfred M. Brooks, West Orange, N. 7.1., assignor 'zpforation :01 :--New Jersey application April '14, 1950, Serial no, 155932 This invention relates generally "to seals-oi sheet material comprising two main sections, bendable toward "one another and having at f their outer ends means for interengagingvsihenelosing the "seal. Sueh'mean's consist, in-partfdf; a prong' carried by one of the main sections, and the main object and feature of this invention .is to prevent nrema'ture rupture of the prone when closing the seal. Another "feature of the invention resides in'provi'ding positive means that will assure aeomp'lete "olo's'u're of the seal and which will render it more diflicult than heretofore to reopen and relose "the seal.

Figs. "1 to 8 inclusive show one preferred Iform of the'i-nvention;

Fig. '1 is a view in front elevation looking in the direction of arn'zi'w l of Fig. 2, the seal being in open position;

g; 2 is a view looking in the direction of arrow '2 of 1*i'g. 1'with 'parts broken away and in section; I V

Fig; 3 is a transverse -'s'ee'tiona'i viewsirbstam tially'on'the planeoi line "a -'3 o'f Figfi2;

'Fig; 4 is a plan view looking substantially in the direction of arrow I of Fig. -5 showing the seal in its el'osedposition;

stantially-on*the planeof line 5-5 of 'Fig; 4;

Fig. '6 -is "a fragmentary 'view of the "prong member carried by one of the main 'secti'o'ns before it "is partly bent;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary seetionalview-sub'stam tiallyon the plane -'of line 7- 7 of Fig. 6';

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view substantially on the plane *dfline "8- -8 o'f Fig.6;

Figs. '9 to 1-4 inclusive show a second preferred form of the invention;

Fig- 9 is a view "in front elevation "looking in the direction-o'f arrow 9 o'f'Figure -10, and showing the -seal in its op'eirpos'ition';

Fig. ""10 is a View looking "in the direction of arrow H! of l i g. I9 with parts broken awayand in section;

-l= ig.- 11 is a plan View looking in the direction of :"arrow l [of Fig. 10 showing "the seal in its closed position; i

Fig. -1'2 'is'a seetiona1 view substantial-1y on the plane bf-line 12-42 of Figyl'l;

'Fig. 13 is an enlarged *det'ail sectional view of the outer ends of the-main sections, the seal being showniin its :closedpo'sition;

"Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail view *o'f t'he prong member shown in-Fi-g. '9;

Figs. 15 through' fi shown it'hirdgpreferred' form of the invention; a

Fig. "5 is an enlarged scale sectional "view sub 5 claims. (01. 292-410) s N. .L, a cor- '15 is a view "in 'ont elevation, looking in the direotionofarrow l5 'of Fig. 16, showing the seal in its open position;

16 is a view looking in the direction er arrow it-of Fig/15; and v Fig. 17 1s an enlarged 1 sectional view ef the. outer end of the main sections, the seal iibeing shown in its closed position.

Referring first to the form of "the invention shown "in "Figs. 1 through ii, the seal here 'comprises two main sections 25 and '26 bendable toward one another a'nd havi-n'g, at their free ends, means to "intere'n'gage in ol'oslng the seal. As here -shown, these means'eons'is't o'f'a "prong '2'! and'a tongue 28 having an opening "2'9 for "the reception 'of p'rong '27.

"The sealis sold and shipped in 'the iform' s'hown in Figs. land 2, that is: tongue 28 lies "bent over main section 26 into the final position it is I intended to occupy; whereas prong 2-! lies only" partly bent under its main section 25, andwill be "bent still further when the seal is closedg as indicated in Fig. 5. It is, of course, impossible to prevent reopening of the olosed seal, lbut"'it is possible toleave evidence that the seal has-been tampered with in that, upon unbendin'g wrong 27, the material thereof is ruptured and prong 2'! breaks off so that the seal cannotbe'reelosed. But, as p'rong 21, in'cIOsing the seal, has to be I bent very sharply, it sometimes occurs thatin closing the seal, prong N' 'breales off."in -other words: th'eseal "no longer "functions as such.- It will 'be understood that it "requires a very delicate balance in the formation "of the "parts or the "seal on the one'hand, to prevent premature rupture of-prong 2 -l"and, on the otheryto assure that rupture will occur upon reopening oi the closed seal.

It has been found that "the above-descrfloe'd difficulty can be overcome by compelling prong 21 to bend, in olosing the "seal, on abending line different from "that on which it "is partly-bent before closing the seal. 'To this end prong H ts provided with a relatively rigid zone 3U and a" relatively weakened zone '3I, the-latter located outwardly beyond 'saidrelatively rigid zone. The

initial bending oi "prong 21 into the position shown'in Figs. '1 and '2 is made on "a'bending line 1 in the relatively rigid 'zone, whereas the bending operation, in -c'l'os'ingthe'seal, is'compelled'to'take place on "a bending line in the relatively weak ene'd 'zone. If desired, the 'relativelyrigid zoneg may be "further stabilized'by providing main 'sec-- ti'on 25-w'ith a strength'ening bead 3 2. P i 1 "One general aspect of the importance o! pie-"- venting premature rupture of the material of prong 21 has been already alluded to. The form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 8 is a seal for use in connection with meat or poultry. and it will be evident that premature rupture of prong 21 may have serious consequences if the prong were to be swallowed by the person consuming the food. In fact, in the case of ameat or poultry'seal, this phase of the matter is of greater importance than failure to seal the food.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 through 14, the seal is composed of two main sections 33 and 34 bendable toward one another at junction-line 35. Here, again, main section 33 is provided with a prong'36 lying partially bent, before closing the seal, on a bending line in a relatively rigid zone 31 which maybe additionally stabilized by providing jects out through opening 55. To facilitate the above-described behavior of prong 49, main section 49 can be shaped so as to provide a pocket 51 thereby not only assuring the provision of a space between tongue 52 and said inner-wall but also to properly deflect prong 49 toward second opening 55.

The feature-10f providing '-'a combined" finger guard andauxiliary deflecting surface X shown in the several forms of the invention, and indicated by way of example in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and a transverse lip 38. 39 indicates the relatively weakened zo'rie,'so

that, in closing the seal, said prong 36 will be compelled to bend on a bending line passing through said weakened zone. Main section 34 is provided with a tongue 40 lying bent over said main section, and tongue 40is provided with an opening 4| for the reception of prong 36. Prong 36 is here provided with-a latch 42 which engages lower end 43 of tongue 40 when the seal is closed. V

-In this instance, main sections 33 and 34 are provided with side-walls 44 and -45 which overlap in closing the seal. The seal is here intended to receive a strandof flexible material 46 at junction-line 35. Sometimes this strand is coarse, or double as shown, and may therefore prevent the means (prong 36 and tongue 40) at the free ends of the main sections from interengaging properly, and may prevent proper closing of the seal. To overcome this difliculty, walls 44 and 45 are provided at their opposed'edges with complementary cams 41 and 48 that move strand 46 away from junction-line 35, as indicated in Figs.

indicate the two main sections, 49 is the prong carried by main section 41 and bent, before the seal is closed, on a bending line passing through .11 and 12, to thereby enable the-seal to be proprelatively rigid zone 50,-said prong being provided 7 with a weakened zone 5| so that, when closing the seal, said prong will be compelled to bend on a bending line in said relatively weakened zone. Carried by main section 48 is a tongue 52 that lies bent inwardly over main section 48 in spaced relation thereto, said tongue having an innerlip 53 thatlies in engagement with the'innerwall of main section 48. 54 indicates an opening in tongue 52 through which prong 49 enters when the seal is being closed, and said tongue 52 has a second opening 55 that lies in front of lip 53. When the seal is being closed, prong 49, after entering opening 54 of tongue 52, will be deflected by main section 48, and through second opening 55 of said tongue.- desired, prong 49 can engagement with the inner-wall of will thereafter protrude be provided with a latch 56 that engages one of the walls of second opening 55 to prevent retraction of said prong. It will be observed that, if it isattempted to insert an implement such as a screwdriver through opening -54 in an endeavor to release prong 49, the efiort to open the seal will be rendered more difficult by reason of the fact that, when attempting toraise said prong 49, said prong will carry with it tongue 52 because said prong prore'traction' of said'prong.

5-whereby prong 21, if outwardly misdirected, will be deflected by said combined finger guard and deflecting surface so that prong 21 will enter through opening 29 of tongue 28-is not claimed in the present application but forms the subject to enable said means'adjacent the outer ends of said main sections to fully interengag whenclosing the seal.

2. In a seal having main sections of sheet material, the combination with one of said main sections ofa- -tongue formedintegrally therewith -and-- bent inwardly thereover inspa ced relationthereto and having an inner-lip that lies in engagement withtheinner-wall of said main section, said tongue having an opening adjacent-itsline of bending and having another opening intermediate said inner-- lip and said first-mentioned opening; and in combination with the other of saidmain sections of a prong integrally formed therewith lying partly bent under its main section to enter the first-mentioned opening in the-tongue of said first-mentioned main section when the two sections are bent toward eachother, said prong of I the second main section adapted to be deflected by the inner-wall of said first-mentioned main-- section and thereafter to protrude throughthe second opening of said tongue.

3. In a seal having two bendably connectedmain sections of sheet material, the combination with one of said main sections of a tongue formed integrally therewith and bent inwardly thereover in spaced relation thereto and'having an inner-lip thatlies in engagement withthe inner-wall of said main section, said tongue hava ing an opening adjacent its line of bending and having another opening intermediate said irmerlip and said first-mentioned opening; and in combination with the other of said main sections of a prong integrally formed therewith lying partly bent under its main section to enter the first-mentioned opening in the tongue of said first-mentioned main section when the two sections are bent toward each other, said prong of the second main section adapted to be deflected by the inner-wall of said first-mentioned main section and thereafter to protrude through the" second opening of said tongue, and said prong having a latching member that engages a wall of the second opening ofsaidtongue to prevent tw0 bendably connected 4. In a seal of sheet material comprising two main sections to receive between them, at their junction-line, a strand of flexible material, said main sections bendable toward one another on said junction-line and having means adjacent their outer ends to interengage when closing said seal, a prong forming part of said means, said prong lying, before closing the seal, bent partly under that main section by which it is carried, said prong having a weakened zone to compel it to bend, in closing the seal, on a bending line different from that on which it was partly bent before closing the seal, and said main sections having side-walls that overlap when the seal is closed and which are provided with complementary cam-shape edges to move said strand away from said junction-line to enable said means adjacent the outer ends of said main sections to fully interengage when closing the seal.

5. In a seal of sheet material comprising two main sections bendable toward one another and having means adjacent their free ends to interengage when closing the seal: a tongue, forming part of said means, carried by one of said main sections and lying bent inwardly over the main section that carries it, said tongue having an opening, adjacent its bending line to receive, when closing the seal, a prong carried by the other of said main sections; a prong, also forming part of said means, carried by the other of said main sections, said prong lying, before the seal is closed, partly bent throughout its length under the main section that carries it, said prong having a weakened zone, closely adjacent its original bending line, to compel it to bend in said zone substantially throughout its length, in closing the seal, by engagement with said firstmentioned main section after entering the open ing in said tongue.

WINFRED M. BROOKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

